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Canyon Voices II - Juried Art Quilt Show At Mesa Verde National Park

The Grand Junction-based Art Quilt Association (AQuA) is now exhibiting "Canyon Voices II" in the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum Gallery of Mesa Verde National Park. This juried art quilt exhibit is presented in partnership with the nonprofit Mesa Verde Museum Association and the National Park Service.

The exhibit runs through November 6, 2010. Admission to the Museum and quilt show is free. The Museum is currently open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Beginning October 17, the Museum will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The gallery opened in 2006 during the park's centennial celebration. Thematic artwork is displayed quarterly, depicting park themes and images of the American Southwest.

"Canyon Voices II" features 101 small quilts, all of which are for sale. A portion of the proceeds support Mesa Verde National Park. The quilts measure 8 x 8 and are contained in a 12 x 12 mat ready for framing.

This show was juried by Gayle Gerson (www.gaylegerson.com), a well-known collage artist from Grand Junction, Colorado, whose juror statement reads: "The quality and diversity of the work is wonderful. Many times, I considered a whole series in my comments and my judging for the top spots. A consistent quality of work counts for something as each square relates to the other in a series. It was a pleasure to have these beautiful pieces of art decking out my dining room for the week it took to make my final choices."

Gerson was asked to select five of the quilts for special mention, one of which would be featured on the AQuA postcard which advertises this event. The quilt chosen for the postcard was created by Sandra Hoefner of Grand Junction and named "Signal Fires on the Mesa," a striking and dramatic abstract depiction of Mesa Verde and its surroundings.

Other juror special mentions were pieces made by Gay Young Ousley of Abilene, Texas, Christi Beckmann of Berthoud, Colorado, Susan Strickland of Grand Junction, and Carole O'Brien of New Castle, Colorado. Gerson found it very difficult to limit her choices to just five, so she chose five more to be recognized. That honor went to Jan Warren, Grand Junction, Carol Patten, Grand Junction, and Georgina Chapman of Edinburg, Scotland, as well as two more pieces by Susan Strickland and Gay Ousley.

The Art Quilt Association was founded in 1996 and has grown to more than 60 members from many parts of the United States as well as one member from the UK. Anyone interested in becoming a member is welcome. The website at www.theartquiltassociation.com is a treasure trove of information for those wanting to dip their toes into the world of art quilting.

Since 1930, the nonprofit Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA) has provided educational and interpretive materials and experiences to visitors of Mesa Verde National Park through an active publishing program, volunteer and membership opportunities, the Mesa Verde Institute, and operation of retail bookstores in the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, Far View Visitor Center, Wetherill Mesa, Morefield Ranger Station, the Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez, and online at www.mesaverde.org. Proceeds from all MVMA programs support educational, research, and interpretive programs in Mesa Verde National Park.

An act of Congress which was signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 created Mesa Verde National Park. Since that time, millions of people have toured this beautiful and mysterious park.The park has over 4,000 known archeological sites and was home to the Ancestral Puebloans for 700 years. The 52,000-acre park is open year round with some seasonal closures and is easily accessible from Cortez and Durango, CO.